If we’re so unique, why do we all look and act the same?

Posted on February 21, 2009 by Tim Farley

How many churches have you either been a regular attender of or had the opportunity to visit in your life?  How much difference was there between the churches?  How much real difference was there?  I mean, I know some churches have contemporary worship songs instead of hymns.  I know some churches have small groups instead of Sunday school.  But outside of the minor things, how much difference was there?

It seems to me that churches, for the most part, are imitations of each other.  Is it because they get their instructions from Scripture and therefore they should all look alike?  I do not think this is the case.  Scripture gives clear guidelines for what a church’s purposes are: teach the word, practice the ordinances (communion and baptism), hold each other accountable.  It also gives clear guidelines for how a church should be governed to ensure orderly meetings rather than chaos and to protect against heretical teaching: elders and deacons who meet certain qualifications.

However, the Bible gives us no specifics when it comes to deciding how best to accomplish these things.  There is nothing in Scripture that says we must have a big church building with a large sanctuary and classrooms.  There is nothing that even says a church must have its own property.  One can argue that there are advantages to these things, but one could also argue that there are advantages to not having them; the greatest being not having the cost of having them and being able to do other things with the church’s finances.  There is nothing in Scripture that tells us that we must have Sunday school, a choir, AWANA, children’s church, etc.  Again, an argument can be made that these are all good things and I am not saying that they are not good,  but they are not MUSTS.

So, the question is, why do all churches pretty much look the same?  It seems that when we study Scripture, we are told that every church is made up by a group of believers that have unique gifts and abilities (1 Corinthians 12).  As individuals, we understand that we are all unique, which means that we do not try to be someone else, but we try to be ourselves.  We are most happy and productive when we act like ourselves.  If we believe the that each church is truly unique in its make-up, why do we all try to act like one another?  Would we not be more effective if we just let our own unique personalities shine?

Church can happen in many contexts and venues.  It can have many different programs and ministries to accomplish the same purposes.  We do not all need to look and act the same.  In fact, I wonder why, if we are all pretty much doing the same things, we need so many churches.  If we are all alike, let’s just all meet together and save the trouble of having so many churches.

Is it possible that by trying to be just like every other church, a church becomes ineffective because it fails to understand and utilize its unique gifts and abilities, which are determined by its people?  If churches truly began to think outside the box and address their uniqueness, what would happen to their ministries?  I think we would have churches that all looked very different and were reaching a far greater number and a far broader type of people.  What do you think?

Posted in Church Issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Passages Taken Out of Context, Part II: Matthew 16:18

Posted on February 19, 2009 by Tim Farley

opened-gateThis is part two of my series on passages taken out of context.  The passage I am going to look at in this post is more misunderstood than taken out of context.  The reason I chose to discuss it here is because it has come up in recent posts and comments on this blog.  Thankfully, it has not been misinterpreted here! 🙂

To give a little background to the verse, understand that it is taking place in a discussion between Jesus and his disciples.  Jesus has asked his followers who people were saying Jesus was.  They respond that people were guessing that Jesus was John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.

After asking his disciples who other people thought he was, he asks the disciples who the disciples thought he was.  Peter speaks up and responds in Matthew 16:16, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”  Jesus responds to Peter’s words in v. 17, “Blessed are you Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.”

Then we come to verse 18, which is the verse I want to discuss.  Jesus goes on to say, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”  Volumes have been written on the word play between Peter’s name (which is Greek for “rock” or “small stone”) and the word “rock” in this verse.  Much has been discussed about who or what the rock is.  Is the rock Peter?  Is it the faith of Peter?  Is it something else?

Well, my interest lies elsewhere in this post.  You can read about those other questions in Bible commentaries or on other blogs.  I want to focus on what Jesus meant when he said the gates of hell would not prevail against the church.  I have often heard this verse explained to mean that the church would not be overtaken by the attacks of hell.  The church will stand strong against the attacks of its enemies.

However, who does this verse say is on the offensive?  Does the verse not say that the gates belong to hell?  Since when do gates do any attacking?  The picture is of a city or fortress whose gates are not able to stand against its foes.  The gates belong to the fortress and they are there to protect against the attack.  It seems that this verse says that the fortress of hell is on the defensive, not the church.  The church is attacking and the gates are not strong enough to withstand the offensive!

How does this change the mindset of our churches as we minister in this fallen world?  Are we to take a fortress mentality and play defense until Christ returns?  Or, are we to be the ones on the offensive as we reclaim this fallen world for Christ with the assurance that the powers of hell cannot withstand our strength?

What do you think?  Have you ever heard this passage used incorrectly?

Posted in Bible Study | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

To Christians Who Don’t Like the Church…

Posted on February 17, 2009 by Tim Farley

Dear Christian who does not like the Church:

I have have read your books.  I have browsed your blog posts.  I have even sat and listened to your complaints.  In fact, I may even share some of your criticisms; the most common being that the Church is not doing what it is supposed to do.  Usually this complaint is followed by your desire for the Church to be more involved in social issues, or environmental concerns, or just being more outward focused rather than inward focused.  All of these are valid concerns and things that many churches do poorly.

However, your solution to the problem is not valid.  You use your complaints to justify simply walking away from the Church and trying to have Christianity on your own terms.  You have decided it is going to be just God and you from now on with an occasional rendezvous with another Christian from time-to-time.

Unfortunately, it does not work this way.  You see the Bible tells us that the Church is God’s design and His ordained instrument for accomplishing His desires for this world.  Jesus said that He was building His Church and that the gates of Hell would not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).  Notice that He did not say He was building a small-group Bible study or radio/television program or any other entity.  He was building His Church.  It is also the Church who is adorned as the Bride of Christ in Scripture, not your talking with fellow believers at Starbucks.

The New Testament epistles (all of the books outside of the 4 Gospels and Acts), give us guidelines concerning how this Church that Jesus was building should look and operate.  We are told that Jesus is the Head of the Church (Ephesians 5:22).  As the Head, Jesus deserves our loyalty and submission.  If Jesus is the Head of the Church and we reject the Church, does that not also mean we reject Him?  It reminds me of Augustine’s statement: “You cannot have God as your Father if you do not have the Church as your Mother.”  Augustine used the same argument that I am using here.  If you reject the Church, you reject the One behind it, Jesus Christ.

Scripture also tells us that all believers are baptized into the Church by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:12-13).  So, if you are a believer, you are a part of the Church.  This is not optional.  This means you belong to the Church and need to follow the guidelines in Scripture that tell us how those in the Church are supposed to behave.  Below are some of those guidelines:

  1. We know that all believers are gifted by the Holy Spirit for the purpose of building up others in the church body (1 Corinthians 12:4-7).  You cannot do this if you are not an active part of a church.  The gifts are not for you, but are for the benefit of serving others.  You must commit to others long-term if you are to effectively serve them.
  2. We also know that the Church has specific functions it must perform (baptism, communion, teaching of the word, public worship).  These are the bare essentials given in Scripture that churches must fulfill.  Are you doing these in your Bible study and/or occasional rendezvous with your Christian friends?  If not, you are not fulfilling your responsibility to be a part of the Church.
  3. We know that one of the purposes of the Church is to hold one another accountable in our Christian life.  We do not like accountability, but it happens in groups, not isolation!
  4. We know that the Church has Scriptural guidelines for how it is to be managed.  There are specific offices that must be filled to ensure that things are orderly and do not stray from orthodoxy.  Two New Testament epistles are dedicated to explaining the type of people that should be placed into the offices of pastor/elder and deacon.  These letters were not written to be ignored.  They are essential to how Jesus chose to order His Church.  Do you have pastor/elders and deacons at your meetings?  Are they qualified in character and gifted for their ministry?

You see, if you are a believer, you cannot simply leave the Church.  You are a part of the Church because you were baptized into it by the Holy Spirit.  If you are not part of the Church, you are not part of the body of Christ.  The real question is, are you an obedient member of the Body?  If so, you must act according to the way the New Testament says we are to act as members of the Body, which is in fellowship with other believers in the context of a church body that has pastors and deacons, as well as a body that practices baptism, communion, the teaching of the Word, and public worship.  Also, do not forget accountability.

When you complain that the Church is not acting as it should, you may have a valid argument.  However the solution is not to try to disengage from the Church.  The reformers in the Protestant Reformation did not walk away from the Church when they thought the Church had strayed from truth.  They acted to correct the Church.  We must do the same!  You can either work within an existing church to change it, or you can go to a church that is practicing correctly, or you can plant a new church that models the New Testament guidelines for the Church.

But you cannot leave.  When you fall out of fellowship, you are just as guilty as the churches you criticize of not doing what you are supposed to be doing.  So, if you have complaints, work to make change, but do not answer disobedience and unfaithfulness with more of the same.  No one said the Church was perfect, but it is the Body of Christ and He died for Her.  If Christ is so committed to His Church, should we not be as well?

Your Friend In Christ,

Tim

Posted in Church Issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 70 Comments

Passages Taken Out of Context, Part I: Acts 10:9-16

Posted on February 14, 2009 by Tim Farley

As I was reading today, I came across a Bible passage that is often misunderstood.  We often use this passage to say something that it was never intended to teach.  As I thought about it, I realized that there are many passages that this applies to.  So, I am beginning a series that will explore some of those oft-misunderstood and misquoted passages.  Today’s post will be about Acts 10:9-16.  The passage reads:

 The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.  (Acts 10:9-16, ESV) 

I cannot tell you how many times I have either heard or read someone use this passage as proof that the Old Testament dietary laws no longer apply to the Christian.  It is argued that God tells Peter in this passage that all food is now to be considered “clean.”  Well, I agree that Christians do not need to adhere to the Old Testament food laws, but the proof does not come from this passage (For a proof about what is lawful to eat, look at Mark 7:14-23).

In fact, this passage really has nothing to do with food at all.  Peter’s vision is to teach him that the message of Christ is not for Jews only, but also for Gentiles (all non-Jews).  The Jewish thought of the time was that Gentiles were unclean and had nothing to do with the things of God.  This vision was to correct Peter’s thinking and prepare him to spread the Good News to all nations indiscriminately.  When you read the rest of chapter 10 and into chapter 11, this message is obvious.  The emphasis comes out very plainly in Acts 10:28 where Peter, speaking to his Gentile visitors, says, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.”  God showed him this in the vision of Acts 10:9-16.

When Peter reports to the church leaders in chapter 11 and they ask him why he has been preaching to the Gentiles, he tells them of his vision and the fact that God has declared that all people are to be considered clean (or worthy) of the gospel (read Acts 11:1-18).  It is not a message only for Jews.  It is for all people because they are all clean in God’s eyes.

So, this passage has nothing to do with food, but with people.  As Christians, we are to proclaim the Good News to all because God has told us that no person is to be considered common or unclean.

Have you ever heard this passage used incorrectly?  Are there any other passages that you know of that are commonly taken out of context?  Do you think that this passage has anything to say concerning racial prejudices held by some Christians (look at Acts 10:28 again)?

 

If you would like to look at the passages discussed in this post, you can go to Biblegateway.com .

Posted in Bible Study | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Is it possible to spend too much time reading the Bible?

Posted on February 12, 2009 by Tim Farley

I came across the question “When is too much Bible study bad for you?” on Yahoo! Answers a couple of days ago.  The asker was concerned that his mother spent too much time reading her Bible instead of doing other things.  It was obvious from the rest of what the asker said that he was convinced that any Bible study at all was bad for a person.

As Christians we believe that we should study Scripture.  It is God’s revelation to us and our guide for a relationship with Him and our instruction for how to live our lives.  1 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work” (ESV).

Is it possible to spend too much time studying the Bible?  I am reminded of a story shared by one of my former seminary professors.  My former professor told us that when he served in the Navy, one of the men on his ship became a believer in Christ.  After becoming a believer, this man had a desire to read and study the Bible.  His desire to read and study was so strong that he neglected his daily duties on the ship.  The man thought he was doing God’s will because he was studying God’s word and learning so much.  My former professor had to pull him to the side and explain that while God was pleased with his desire to study and grow, God also expected him to fulfill his responsibilities as a sailor on the ship.  Besides, what kind of example was he to all of the other non-believing sailors who watched him disregard his work each day?  The best way to honor God was to balance his daily Bible study with his daily responsibilities of being a sailor.

So while the asker on Yahoo! Answers asked a question that he was not wanting a serious answer to, I do believe there is a point where we can spend too much time in Bible study.  That time occurs when it causes us to neglect the other God-given responsibilites in our lives.  If we neglect our parental responsibilities or if we decide we would rather read than go to work (or school),  we can say that we are spending too much time reading the Bible.  Or, if we would rather read our Bibles than help someone we know is in need of our assistance, we can say we are spending too much time reading the Bible.

Few of us have this problem.  Let’s be honest.  Most of use are on the other end of the spectrum.  We are not spending too much time reading and studying God’s word, but far too little.

Posted in Bible Study | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Teens spend 2 hours per week viewing porn. Do yours?

Posted on February 12, 2009 by Tim Farley

A new study gives us an idea of how teenagers use the Internet.  Some of the highlights are listed below:

  • Teens spend an average of 31 hours per week online
  • They spend nearly 2 hours viewing porn
  • Teens spend 3 and 1/2 hours talking to friends on MSN
  • They spend 2 hours on YouTube and in chat rooms
  • Over an hour is spent looking up information on cosmetic surgery procedures
  • An hour and a half is spent getting information about birth control or pregnancy
  • Over an hour and a half is spent getting information about diet and weight loss
  • 1 in 4 regularly speak to strangers online
  • Teens also use the Internet to help on homework assignments and to interact with friends and family.

Not all of the above things are bad.  Do any of them surprise you?

Do you know what your children look at online?  If you are a teen reading this, do your parents know what you use the Internet for?

How can we safeguard our children without taking away the most important communication tool available to us right now?  What do you do?

Posted in Culture, Family | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Who to Protect When the Prisons are Full?

Posted on February 10, 2009 by Tim Farley

prison-cellAll across the country, prisons are overflowing.  In California, the prison system has nearly double the number of inmates that it is designed to hold.  The overcrowding has led to unsafe working conditions for prison employees, inadequate medical facilities to care for the prisoners, and a large increase in the spread of disease and illness within the prisons.  This has led to lawsuits by inmates and concerned groups who argue that the basic human rights of the inmates is being violated.

To remedy the problem, federal judges recently ruled that 57,000 inmates in California are to be released.  Of course this does not sit well with everyone.  Some are opposed arguing that the rights of the inmates are being protected while the safety and the rights of law-abiding citizens are being put at risk.  You can read an article concerning this issue here.

This issue leads to some interesting questions.  First, what rights, if any do prisoners have?  Do they forfeit their rights when they commit their crime(s)?  If so, what rights do they lose / retain?  Secondly, whose rights should have priority in this situation?  Should we violate the human rights of prisoners to protect society?  Or, should we protect the rights of the prisoners while putting others at greater risk?  Lastly, what is the solution to this problem?  Is there one?

Posted in Human Rights | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Build-A-Baby: If you could pick the perfect child…

Posted on February 9, 2009 by Tim Farley

I was reading an article posted on Yahoo! news about how it may be possible in the future to select the genetic traits you want your child to possess.  Want a boy?  No problem.  How about blue eyes?  No problem.  How about a kid who is a natural musician or athlete?  How about one with a supreme intellect or astonishingly good looks?  No problem.

If this technology were available to you when you had, or will have have, your child(ren), would you consider using it?  If you knew it was safe, would you consider it?  Are there any ethical issues involved that would need to be considered?  For those Christian readers, what are the biblical issues involved?  Would it be OK for Christian parents to use this type of technology?

Of course, I did not have this to worry about since my child is already the perfect baby! 🙂

The article is worth a read, even if it only gives us a glimpse into what potentially lies ahead in the realm of genetic selection / altering.  I look forward to reading your thoughts about this topic.

Posted in Genetic Engineering, Worldview | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

What the Oval Office and the Church Have In Common

Posted on February 6, 2009 by Tim Farley
Shirt, Tie, & Jacket

The Essentials? Shirt, Tie, & Jacket.

Much has been said over the last several days about what is and is not proper attire for the Oval Office.  President Obama has said that he wants anyone in the office to wear a shirt and tie out of respect for the Oval Office and all that it represents.  Some have criticized Obama for this, saying that his dress is too casual and that he and others should not only be wearing a shirt and tie, but also a jacket.

The whole thing seems somewhat amusing to me since President Obama seems to be trying to honor the office by his conduct and dress code, but it does remind me that the same type of thing happens at churches.  A precedent is set by a generation of church-goers and when a younger generation comes behind and acts a little differently, things can become uneasy and conflict can arise.

Don’t believe me?  How would you feel if your pastor showed up Sunday morning and was not wearing a suit and tie?  What if he left his jacket at home for the week?  What if he did not even have a tie and was only wearing a collared shirt?  You may not think much of it.  In fact, you may even prefer it if you are a little younger, but how do you think the rest of your fellow church-goers would react?  I come from fairly traditional churches in my past and I know from experience that a collared shirt is not acceptable.

What does a pastor and others need to wear to church in order to show proper honor and respect to God?  Should a pastor be expected to wear clothes that are different than the rest of the people in the congregation?  If so, why?  Aren’t we all called to show the same respect, or do pastors have a greater responsibility in this area?  I agree that we should seek to show honor and respect in our dress when we go to church, but who decides exactly what this means?  Who decides the proper dress code for church?

There are many newer churches that have younger congregations that have pushed against the whole idea of suits and ties.  The pastors of these churches often wear a simple shirt and jeans when they speak.  Would it be fair for those on the outside to say that they need to dress better because they do not honor God properly with their clothing?

Posted in Church Issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Do Our Churches Suffer From Low Self-Esteem?

Posted on February 6, 2009 by Tim Farley

You have heard it before.  A pastor, in an effort to encourage you and others, has said, “God made you just the way you are.  He designed you exactly how he wanted you because He has a specific plan for your life.  Do not try to be like someone else.  Be you because God loves you and you are special in His eyes!”

Have you ever heard those words?  I have.  Not only have I heard them, but I have said similar things while teaching my people.  Not only have I heard them and said them, I believe those words are true!  However, I am not sure that most of our churches believe they are true.  Or, if they do, they sure do not act like they believe them at times.

What do I mean?  If it is true that God designs us in a particular way and with a specific plan, why do so many churches desire to be like the church down the street?  If God designs people with a plan in mind, certainly He designs His churches with particular plans as well, right?  If this is true, each church should be able to say, “God created us just the way we are and we should not try to be like other churches.  We need to be the church that God created us to be.”

Churches should stop acting like insecure teenagers who have to dress and act just like their friends to fit in and instead, do ministry as they were designed by God.  I wonder how our churches would look if they practiced what they preached in this area.

Posted in Church Growth | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments